PARADISE, Nev. — It was less than an hour after the United States Men’s National Team beat Mexico that Captain America felt the need to offer an encore. The jerseys will still be drenched in sweat, and emotions still boiling, when Christian Pulisic felt the mood was getting a little too high. “Three, damn, zero. It’s unbelievable,” interim head coach BJ Callaghan said to a locker room full of triumphant players. But it was only a semi-final, so a shirtless Pulisic took the floor.
“Be humble with it, guys,” Pulisic intervened. “Enjoy it tonight, enjoy it tonight, but we’re here to win the final. We’re here to beat Canada.”
This is what they will try to do on Sunday evening against their other regional rivals, at the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Final (9:06 p.m. ET, Paramount+/Univision). Thursday, they made their “fucking declaration”, while Pulisic had asked. On Sunday, they’ll go in search of another trophy — and Canada will go in search of its first in more than two decades.
The USMNT will be shorthanded, without Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest, both suspended after red cards against Mexico. Canada will be confident, having beaten and drawn against the United States in World Cup qualifying and finishing atop the CONCACAF table.
“I think we’ve earned the respect of everyone in this region,” Canadian defender Alistair Johnston said on Saturday. that we are a team that is for real.”
But the USMNT, the reigning kings of CONCACAF, will have their say.
Follow the match between the USMNT and Canada below with our live tracker: